Château Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac Leognan 2014/2020/2021/2022

Château Smith Haut Lafitte is a prestigious estate in Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, classified Grand Cru Classé de Graves for both its reds and whites.

The Wine Advocate
RP 95

Reviewed by: Yohan Castaing

The 2021 Smith Haut Lafitte, a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, offers a deep, complex bouquet of dark berries, spice, liquorice, graphite and flowers, laced with hints of menthol.

Medium to full-bodied, satiny and very harmonious, it's elegant and concentrated, with velvety, refined tannins and a long, penetrating finish.

Published: 8 February 2024.

The Wine Advocate
RP 95+

Reviewed by: William Kelley

The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte is more structured and introverted than its 2019 predecessor, opening in the glass with aromas of cassis and plums mixed with notes of pencil shavings, violets and minty new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, its velvety attack builds into a multidimensional mid-palate framed by rich, generously extracted tannins that assert themselves on the long, still youthfully firm finish. An excellent example, true to the house style, that will reward some patience.

Published: 6 April 2023.

The Wine Advocate
RP 96+

Reviewed by: Yohan Castaing

Dark and slightly introverted, with notes of liquorice, gentian, spice and dark berries, the 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte has a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, dense palate with a fleshy core of fruit and a generously extracted structure, with an assertive tannic frame that needs time to soften.

Ending with a long, dense, gentian-tinged finish, this wine needs time to integrate its élevage and should gain harmony and balance after some time in bottle.

Published: 6 March 2025